Subscription television and like systems



Aug- 2, 1956 G. l.. HAMBURGER 3,253,737

SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND LIKE SYSTEMS Filed May 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 26 27 p' m 25 w f E Vfl -29 13 m 37 38 l`25] 74 2 l0- 49 f7-22 @nef/4fr- HA/1150.965@

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Aug. 2, 1966 G. L. HAMBURGER SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND LIKE SYSTEMS 2 Sheets-'Sheet 2 Filed May 25, 1964 CRT ral'l Fig .5.

United States Patentiice 3,263,787 Patented August 2, 1966 3,263,787 SUBSCRIPTION TELEVISION AND LIKE SYSTEMS Gerhart Lothar Hamburger, Hitchin, England, assignor to Sangamo Weston Limited, Enfield, England, a British company iled May 25, 1964, Ser. No. 369,988

13 Claims. (Cl. 194-1) ',ing received. Such metering means may be associated with coin-operated or like .prepayment mechanism which includes yswitching means which control the operation of the subscribers apparatus whereby reception of the programme is possible only when a credit condition is set up in such prepayment mechanism, as by the insertion of coins of suitable coin value, and is terminated when such credit is exhausted.

In my co-pending patent application No. 369,990, filed May 25, 1964, a system has been described in which the levied charge rate for supply of a particular programme can be varied as required by alteration of the number of charge-controlling pulse or equivalent signals transmitted to the su-bscriber during the time period of the programme and one object of the present invention is the provision of improved forms of subscribers metering mechanism for use in systems of such or generally similar type which will hereinafter be referred to as of the type defined.

In accordance with one feature of the invention metering apparatus for a system of the type defined comprises energy storage means Aarranged to be charged at suitable intervals and step-by-step release means for release of energy stored in said storage means each step operation of such release means being controlled by the swinging movement of the moving coil of a moving coil type instrument movement under the inuence of the charge controlling pulse or like signals of said system.

Conveniently such energy storage means comprises a spring which may \be arranged to be wound manually from time to time or automatically by the subscriber during each operation of inserting a coin into prepayment mechanism. Alternatively such spring may be kept in wound state by electrically operated means such as a small motor, e.g. a synchronous electric motor, or an electromagnetic rewind device energised from the power source of the subscribers apparatus. v

The above and other features of this invention Vwill be better understood from the following description of constructional embodiments thereof given by way of illustrative example only and with reference to the -accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a largely schematic drawing illustrating one apparatus arrangement according to the invention for operation upon a prepayment charging basis.

FIGURE 2 is a detail view of part of the mechanism of F IG. l.

FIGURE 3 is another detail view of part of the mechanism of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a part of a modified form of apparatus arrangement.

FIGURE 5 is a circuit diagram illustrating certain parts of the distribution system.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view, similar to FIG. 4, of part of another modification, and v FIGURE 7 is a largely schematic drawing illustrating a modied form of apparatus for operation upon a credit charging basis.

Referring first to FIG. 1 of the drawings which illustrates, in largely schematic form, the basic arrangement of one embodiment of the invention, reference numeral 10 denotes a coin-operated prepayment mechanism of any vconvenient form, such mechanism including a manual operating handle 11, which has to be turned through a predetermined angle to effect insertion and registering of each inserted coin, and an output shaft 12 which is rotated in one direction only through an angle proportional to the value of each of the coins inserted in the mechanism 10. To ensure unidirectional rotation, the shaft 12 is shown provided with a ratchet wheel 13 secured thereto and engaged iby a pawl 14 mounted on a fixed position pivot. Such ratchet and pawl mechanism or its equivalent is usually found in practice as part of the mechanism 10.

The shaft 12 is in positive driving connection through pinion 15 with a gearwheel 16 coaxial with and rigidly secured to one sun wheel 17 of a differential gear device 18 whose opposite sun wheel 19 has a sim-ilar gearwheel 20 secured thereto. nection through pinion 21 and' step-up gear train 22 with an escapement wheel 23. The planet wheels 24 of the differential gear device 18 are mounted upon a carrier 25 which is rigidly connected to the central spindle 26, the latter being freely rotatable in suitable fixed bearings. The respective sun wheels 17, 19 and their connected gearwheels 16, 20 are, of course, free to rotate upon the spindle 26. A suitable energy storage spring, e.g. a spiral spring 27, is connected by its inner end to the spindle 26 'and by its outer end to a stationary anchorage `point 28.

The spindle 26 is also rigidly connected to a further gearwheel 29 which is in meshing engagement through coupled countershaft pinions 30, 31 with a further and coaxial gearwheel 32 which is freely rotatable on the spindle 26. The respective tooth numbers of the gears 29, 30, 31 and 32 are such that the gearwheel 29 rotates at a slightly faster or slightly slower rate than the gearwheel 32 The respective gearwheels 29 and 32 each have discs 33, 34 rigidly connected thereto and arranged to lie in close sideby-side relationship, such discs each lbeing provided with a peripheral notch 35 and 36 respectively as shown more clearly in FIG. 2, The two discs are engaged on their respective peripheries by a single abutment nosepiece 37 carried on the free end of a lever arm 38 which is pivotally mounted at its opposite end upon a stationary pivot and is urged Vby a spring 39 towards the discs 33, 34. The arm 38 forms part of switch mechanism 40 which is inserted in the connection lead 41 between, say, the subscribers apparatus and the power supply thereto or between the incoming signal conductor and the signal input to the subscribers apparatus. When the nosepece 37 is bearing upon the full diameter edge region of either one of the discs 33, 34, the switch 40 is closed but when the notches 35, 36 are simultaneously aligned with the nosepiece 37, :the switch 40 is opened. This latter position is arranged to coincide with the zero credit state of the prepayment mechanism 10. By virtue of the slightly different speeds of rotation of the discs 33, 34 such position of notch alignment is not repeated until after a plurality of revolutions of the shaft 26 have taken place. Such repeat .position is arranged to occur at a point beyond the maximum amount of credit storage permitted with the mechanism 10.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 3, the escapment wheel 23 which is being continuously urged to rotate by the energy stored in the spring 27, is arranged for cooperation in the normal manner, of an escapement mechanism, with a pallet lever 42 carrying pallet pins 43 and arranged forrocking motion about fixed position pivot 44. The

This gearwheel 20 is in geared con-I pallet lever 42 has a forked extension 45 which is engaged by an impulse pin 46 carried upon the marginal region of an oscillating impulse wheel 47 which is mounted upon the pivot spindle 48 of the moving coil wind-ing 49 of a. conventional form of moving coil meter system 50.

The manner of operation of the device described is as follows:

A state of credit is first established by insertion of a suitable coin or coins -into the prepayment mechanism 10 and operation of the handle 11 to produce rotation through a corresponding angle of the shaft 12. Assuming that the escapement wheel 23 is at rest at the particular moment of coin insertion, the sun-wheel 19 of the differential gear will be held stationary and the rotation of the first sun-wheel 17, which is driven from the shaft 12 through pinion 15 and gearwheel 16, will cause the planet wheels 24 and the attached spindle 26 to rotate in the direction to wind up and thereby to store energy in the spring 27. At the same time, the rotation of spindle 26 causes the notches 3S, 35 in discs 33, 34 to be moved further away from the positions of alignment thereof which marks `the zero credit condition. The switch 40 is then closed (if it was not alreadyclosed by the previous establishment of credit condition) and operation of the subscribers apparatus becomes allowable.

Referring now to FIG. of the drawings, a system of the type defined and as described in the aforesaid copending application usually comprises a central distribution station T and a plurality of subscribers receiving stations, of which one only is shown at R. Signals (which in the case of a television distribution system comprise video, audio and charge/measuring pulse signals) are transmitted from the distribution station T to the various subscribers stations R rby way of la line or cable network N, the various subscribers stations being connected to the network in parallel.

The distribution station T may comprise a video signal source VS supplying video signals by way of a balanced pair of transformers T1, T2 and an audio signal source AS supplying audio signals by way of a transformer T3 having a two-section ssccondary winding for allowing the injection of the requisite charge/measuring pulses from a controlled source PS. Such charge/ measuring pulses are of direct-current form varying between zero and, say, 50 volts while the audio signal on the line may be of the order of 100 v. maximum amplitude. Capacitor C provides a low-impedance shunt across the source PS while further capacitors (not shown) may be provided in shunt with the secondary winding sections of the transformer T3 to provide a low impedance path for the video signals.

At the subscribers station R 4the switching means 40 within the prepayment mechanism controls the connection of the line N to a video signal receiver VR and its associated .picture tube CRT and, through volume control resistor VR to an audio output transformer T4 feeding a loud speaker LS. Also connected in shunt across the line N through the controlled switch means is the coil winding 49 of the moving coilmovement 50, connection being made through a capacitor CX of accurately known and comparatively large capacitance value, e.g. l0 microfarads, and a series connected choke coil L and resistance RX.

In operation of the system, apart from the transmission of the audio and video signals from the distribution station to each operative subscribers station, a succession of charge/measuring current pulses from the source PS are applied to the signal channel conductors N and these current pulses are arranged each to charge up the capacitor CX at the subscribers premises, such capacitor being discharged in between pulses. The rate at which these pulses are applied determines the monetary rate of charging for the particular programme during which they are transmitted. With the arrangement as described above, as the moving coil winding 49 is connected in series with the aforesaid capacitor CX the charging current of each pulse causes the moving coil to swing in one direction whereas the discharge current causes the coil to swing in the opposite direction. The resultant oscillation movement of the impulse wheel 47 and pin 46 causes rocking of the pallet lever 42 to allow motion of the escapement wheel 23 by the amount of one tooth for each input pulse. Such stepping motion, by transmission through the gear train 22 to the second sun wheel 19 of the differential, causes such sun wheel to rotate and, since the opposite sun wheel 17 is at this time held stationary, the planet wheels 24 and their carrier 25 will rotate around the sun wheel 17 under the influence of the storage spring 27 to cause the latter to unwind. Simultaneously the discs 33 and 34 will be rotated back towards their initial position in which the respective notches 35, 36 become re-aligned. When this position is reached, marking the exhaustion of the established credit through the coin mechanism 10, the switch 40 is opened and the receipt of pragramme signals by the subscribers equipment terminated. It will be understood that further switch means, opened when the subscribers apparatus is not in use, also interrupt the supply of the current pulses to the capacitor CX and moving coil 49.

The moving coil system in the embodiment described above is preferably one which has no zero position and has current supplied to the coil winding 49 by way of ligaments which do not exert any substantial control .torque on the moving system. In an alternative arrangement the moving coil may be spririgbiased in one direction and operated by each incoming current pulse in the opposite direction.

Another modified construction permitting the use of a completely independent moving coil system with its own jewel bea-rings for affording maximum sensitivity to low value operating currents is shown in FIG. 4 where the moving coil system 49 is provided with a radially projecting arm 51 instead of the normal indicating pointer, said arm terminating at its outer end in -a downturned fork 52 which embraces a further radial arm 53 which is secured to a spindle 54 carrying the impulse wheel 47. Such spindle 54 may be disposed to lie coaxial with the axis of rotation of the moving coil system 49 as shown; alternatively the respective axes of the spindle 54 and moving coil system 49 may be offset with the effective length of the lever-forming arm 53 greater than the effective length of the arm 51 as shown in FIG. 6 so as to provide a degree of mechanical advantage for the moving coil in its operation of the escapement.

In systems `as just described where the audio signal is applied directly to the conductors of the network instead of being supplied as a modulation of a higher frequency carrier, trouble may be experienced due to vibration and an accompanying tendency for the moving coil system to a creeping movement owing to its ability to follow, to -a limited extent, the lower frequency oscillatory components of the yaudio signal. Such creep movements can obviously result in spurious operation 0f the escapement and may be prevented by the provision of motion damping means. Such means may conveniently take the form of the provision of a relatively massive inertia wheel as shown at 56 in FIG. 6, secu-red to the moving coil or its mounting spindle.

Various modifications are clearly possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the energy storage means may comprise a weight which is raised either by an operation performed by the subscriber, e.g. during each coin insertion operation, or automatically as by an electric motor operated from the power supply of the subscribers apparatus through a slipping or other form of overload elutoh. Similarly, the escapement release may be operated by electro-magnetic means energised through contacts closed by the swinging movements of the moving coil system.

While the invention has been more particularly described with relation to a distribution system operable upon a prepayment basis, it will be clear that such invention also has useful application to systems operable upon a credit basis. Under this form of operation, the arrangement may take the form shown in FIG. 7 where the coin mechanism 10, the differential gear 18 and the controlling switch means 29-40 of FIG. l are dispensed with and the escapement wheel 23 is driven by way of the gear train 22 from the output shaft 57 of a spring drum 58, the input or winding gear 59 of which is rotated through a slipping clutch 60 and step-down gear train 61 from a synchronous electric motor 62. The latter is conveniently arranged to be energised whenever the subscribers apparatus is switched on. From a convenient point on the gearstrain 22 a gear connection is taken to a suitable integrating register 63,k e.g. of the cyclometer type as illustrated, upon which is maintained a running total of the charge value of the programme time taken by :the subscriber. Such register will, of course, be read from time to time for the preparation of suitable accounts to the subscriber.

I claim:

1. Metering apparatus for a subscription broadcasting system of the type defined, which comprises mechanical energy storage means, :an escapment mechanism for release of energy stored in said storage means, a moving coil type instrument having a moving coil arranged to actuate said escapement mechanism, and means for receiving charge pulse signals from said system and applying said signals to said moving coil instrument to move said coil, whereby the quantity of released energy varies as the number of received signals.

2. Metering apparatus for a subscription broadcasting system of the type defined, which comprises an energy storage spring, means for winding-up said spring, an escapement mechanism for release of energy stored in said spring means including an escapement wheel coupled to said spring and a rocking pallet lever co-operating with said escapement wheel, a moving coil type electrical instrument movement having a moving coil coupled to said pallet lever to actuate said escapement mechanism, and means for receiving charge pulse signals from said system and applying said signals to said moving coil instrument to move said coil, whereby the quantity of released energy varies as the number of received signals.

3. Metering apparatus as claimed in claim 2, which includes coin operated prepayment connected to wind up said spring by insertion of each coin into said prepayment mechanism.

4. Metering apparatus as claimed in claim 2 which includes an electric motor connected to wind up said spring.

S. Metering apparatus for a subscription broadcasting system of the type defined, which comprises energy storage means, an escapement mechanism including an escapement wheel and a rocking pallet member, a differential gear device connecting said energy storage means to said escapement wheel, the dilerential element of said device being Coupled to switch means for controlling the supply of programme signals to the subscriber, a moving coil electrical type instrument movement having a moving coil coupled to said pallet member to effect step-by-step release of energy from said energy storage means, and means for receiving charge pulse signals from said system and applying said signals to the moving coil of said moving coil instrument.

6. Metering apparatus for a subscription broadcasting system of the type defined, which comprises energy storage means, an escapement mechanism including an escapement wheel and -a rocking pallet member in engagement with said escapement wheel a gear train coupling said energy storage means to said escapement wheel, an integrating register in continuous driving connection with said gear train, a moving coil type electrical 6 instrument movement having a moving coil coupled to said rocking pallet member to eiect step-by-step rotation of said escapement wheel by energy released from said energy storage means, and means for receiving charge pulse signals from said system and applying said signals to said moving coil of said instrument movement.

7. Metering apparatus for a subscription broadcasting system of the type defined, which comprises mechanical energy storage means, an escapement mechanism, including an impulse wheel, a rocking pallet lever and an escapement wheel, a drive coupling between said energy storage means and said escapement wheel to urge the latter to rotate, a moving coil type instrument having a moving coil directly coupled to said impulse wheel to cause operation of said escapement mechanism by swinging movement of said moving coil, and means for receiving charge pulse signals from said system and applying said signals to said moving coil instrument to move said coil, whereby the quantity of released energy varies as the number of received signals.

8. Metering apparatus for a subscription broadcasting system of the type defined, which comprises energy storage means, an escapement mechanism including a rocking pallet lever and an escapement wheel, a drive coupling between said energy storage means and said escapement wheel, a moving coil type electrical instrument movement having a moving coil system, a radial operating lever arm mounted on said moving coil system said lever arm having a forked outer end, a second lever arm coupled to said pallet lever and having its outer end engaged in the forked end of said radial lever arm, and

means for receiving charge pulse signals from said system and applying said signals to said moving coil of said instrument movement to cause oscillation of said moving coil and thereby to operate said pallet lever to allow step-by-step rotation of said escapement wheel by said energy storage means.

9. Metering -apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which the moving coil of said moving coil type instrument movement is mounted in a manner whereby it is substantially free from any control torque.

10. Metering apparatus for a subscription type signal supply system which comprises a differential gear device including rst and second sun wheels and a planetary gear system coupled to an output spindle, energy storage means connected to said output spindle so as to be charged by rotation of said output spindle in a irst direction and to apply torque to said output spindle in an opposite second direction, cam operated switch means also coupled to said output spindle for controlling the operation of signal reproducing apparatus, coin operated prepayment mechanism having ran output shaft which is rotated at each coin insertion operation through an angle proportional to the value of the inserted coin, rst mechanical coupling means coupling said output shaft to said first sun wheel, a moving coil electric instrument movement including a pivotally mounted movable coil winding, an escapement mechanism including a toothed escapement wheel and a rockable pallet arm having tooth engaging abutments thereon co-operating with said escapement wheel, said pallet arm being mechanically coupled to said movable coil winding to be rocked by swinging movement of said movable coil winding, second mechanical coupling means coupling said second sun wheel to said escapement wheel to apply torque thereto from said energy storage means and control pulse input terminals electrically connected to said movable coil winding to supply input charge pulse signals thereto to cause swinging movement of said movable coil winding and a resultant one-step release of energy from said spring means in response to said input signal pulse.

11. Metering apparatus for a subscription type signal Supply system which comprises a differential gear device including rst and second sun wheels and a planetary gear system coupled to an output spindle, an energy storage spring connected to said output spindle so as to be charged by rotation of said output spindle in a first direction and to apply torque to said output spindle in an opposite second direction, cam operated switch means also coupled to said output spindle for controlling the operation of signal reproducing apparatus, coin operated prepayment mechanism having an output shaft which is rotated at each coin insertion operation through an angle proportional to the value of the inserted coin,

a iirst gear train coupling said output shaft to said firstV sun wheel, a moving coil electric instrument movement including a pivotally mounted moving coil winding, an inertia Wheel coupled to said moving coil winding, an escapement mechanism including a toothed escapement wheeland a rockable pallet member having tooth engaging abutments thereon co-operating with said escapement Wheel, said pallet member being coupled to said inertia wheel to be rocked by swinging movement of said movable coil Winding, a second gear train coupling said second sun wheel to said escapement wheel to apply torque thereto from said energy storage spring and control pulse input terminals electrically connected to' said movable coil winding to supply input charge pulseV signals thereto to cause swinging movement of said movable coil winding and a resultant one-step release of energy from said spring means to rotate said second sun wheel in response to said input signal pulse.

12. A metering device for controlling receiving apparatus in a subscription television supply system which comprises a moving coil type instrument movement including a magnetic ux system defining an .arcuate magnetic ux gap and a moving coil winding pivotally mounted for rocking movement in said ux gap, control pulse input terminals electrically connected to said moving coil winding, an escapement mechanism comprising a rotatable toothed escapement wheel mounted upon aspindle yand a rocking pallet lever system for allowing step-by-step rotation of said escapement wheel, a power drive source mechanically coupled to said spindle of said escapement wheel to apply rotational torque thereto, register mechanism coupled to said spindle for operation in accordance with the degree of angular rotation of said escapement wheel and a mechanical coupling between said movable coil winding and said pallet lever to cause one rocking movement of said lever with consequent rotation of said escapement wheel spindle and said register mechanism by the amount of one step in response to each input pulse applied to said input terminals.

13. A metering device for controlling receiving apparatus in a subscription television supply system which comprises -a moving coil type instrument movement including a magnetic flux system defining an arcuate magnetic liux gap and a moving coil winding pivotally mounted for rocking movement in said liux gap, control pulse input terminals electrically connected to said moving coil winding, an escapement mechanism comprising a rotatable toothed escapement w'ieel mounted upon a spindle and a rocking pallet lever for allowing step-bystep rotation of said escapement wheel, a friction clutch, an electric motor mechanically coupled through said friction clutch to said spindle of said escapement wheel to apply rotational torque thereto, register mechanism coupled to said spindle for operation in accordance with the degree of angular rotation of said escapement wheel and an inertia wheel coupled to said moving coil winding and said pallet lever to cause one rocking movement of said lever with consequent one-step rotation of said escapement wheel spindle and said register mechanism in response to each input pulse applied .to said input terminals.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 302,953 8/1884 Smith 58-116 1,416,592 5/1922 Albright 58--33 2,930,464 3/1960 Burns 194-1 3,100,034 8/1963 Spohrer 194-1 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

LEO SMILOW, LOUIS I. DEMBO, Examiners.

G. F. BAKER, S. H. TOLLBERG, Assistant Examiners. 

1. METERING APPARATUS FOR A SUBSCRIPTION BROADCASTING SYSTEM OF THE TYPE DEFINED, WHICH COMPRISES MECHANICAL ENERGY STORAGE MEANS, AN ESCAPEMENT MECHANISM FOR RELEASE OF ENERGY STORED IN SAID STORAGE MEANS, A MOVING COIL TYPE INSTRUMENT HAVING A MOVING COIL ARRANGED TO ACTUATE SAID ESCAPEMENT MECHANISM, AND MEANS FOR RECEIVING CHARGE PULSE SIGNALS FROM SAID SYSTEM AND APPLYING SAID SIGNALS TO SAID MOVING COIL INSTRUMENT TO MOVE SAID COIL, WHEREBY THE QUANTITY OF RELEASED ENERGY VARIES AS THE NUMBER OF RECEIVED SIGNALS. 